torinodan
11-23-2004, 02:57 PM
Ok, lets see if I can tell this tell right. I was asked to post instutions so here we go. Any questions just ask or PM.
1: Plexy light panel I made, took a little time but works great. Use either a router or if you have realy steady hands use a drill. The size is 4" wide and 4 1/4" long. Holes have to be made larger so the buttons will not allways be pushed in. The outside edges were first painted silver then black to stop any light run off (except for the very back portion, light has to get in somehow and this area has to be polished). The area that the map lights/ mode buttons comes through has to be polished as well to allow max light to enter around the buttons. Use wet/dry sand paper from 600-1500 grit to polish.
2: Console control panel. Shows where the Homelink button area was shaved down so the buttons would come through once everything was put together. Don't worry, there's plenty of plastic here to shave and not hurt anything! Just do it slowly. Also you can rid yourself of the rubber used on the map buttons, it will get in the way and you're not going to need it.
3: One of the green LED strips I used. Sold as "Grill Lights" for ricers at auto parts stores. Kit comes with 2 LED strips about 5 inches long and molded into a black plastic case with a clear lens and 1 contol.
4: Placement of one of the LED strips at the back of the control panel, mounted here to shine the light into the plexiglass so it carries throughout the panel. IE: headlights on a toy car or something.
5: Plaxiglass in place over holes and all the controls are placed on top of that. Note foil under the plexy and Homelink buttons on top. This is to ensure no light bleed off and that those buttons do have light coming out from under them. A better way I found to do this is to cover both sides with foil bonded with craft glue and cut out where the holes are.
6: Pic of control that is supplied with the LED kit. It comes with adhisive tape so it dosn't flop around. Light control not needed as the other light is not needed, the black wire is power and the grey wires are ground and hook into the same power and ground if you use the control. this will look much better if you just rewire it with 1 red and joining all the contacks where the grey wires went with 1 black wire.
7: Power for the LED stripes are wired into the light circuit that dims the compass at night when you turn on your headlights (orange/black wire if looking at the car side of the plug for reference). This power varies with the instrument dimmer switch (0 - 11.5 VDC) so your LED's will vary too.
8: Ground comes from the map lights. All wires were soldered and sealed with liquid electric tape. Also use tape to mask all the holes that are in the map light sockets. If you dont there will be a green glow comming out of them. First time you turn them on you'll see what else needs to be masked off.
9: Finished product. Nothing looks different till it gets dark and you can actually see where the h*** those buttoms have been hiding from you!
I hope this helps anyone else with this small but very good mod.
Another way to do this project is to put the lights in from the sides. Use 1 led strip and cut it in half. One half you'll need a 350-450 ohm resistor to complete the circuit and the other peice just needs wires soildered to all the new ends you just made. Assemble the same way just polish the sides and not the bottom. What you do with the rest of the lights is up to you.
1: Plexy light panel I made, took a little time but works great. Use either a router or if you have realy steady hands use a drill. The size is 4" wide and 4 1/4" long. Holes have to be made larger so the buttons will not allways be pushed in. The outside edges were first painted silver then black to stop any light run off (except for the very back portion, light has to get in somehow and this area has to be polished). The area that the map lights/ mode buttons comes through has to be polished as well to allow max light to enter around the buttons. Use wet/dry sand paper from 600-1500 grit to polish.
2: Console control panel. Shows where the Homelink button area was shaved down so the buttons would come through once everything was put together. Don't worry, there's plenty of plastic here to shave and not hurt anything! Just do it slowly. Also you can rid yourself of the rubber used on the map buttons, it will get in the way and you're not going to need it.
3: One of the green LED strips I used. Sold as "Grill Lights" for ricers at auto parts stores. Kit comes with 2 LED strips about 5 inches long and molded into a black plastic case with a clear lens and 1 contol.
4: Placement of one of the LED strips at the back of the control panel, mounted here to shine the light into the plexiglass so it carries throughout the panel. IE: headlights on a toy car or something.
5: Plaxiglass in place over holes and all the controls are placed on top of that. Note foil under the plexy and Homelink buttons on top. This is to ensure no light bleed off and that those buttons do have light coming out from under them. A better way I found to do this is to cover both sides with foil bonded with craft glue and cut out where the holes are.
6: Pic of control that is supplied with the LED kit. It comes with adhisive tape so it dosn't flop around. Light control not needed as the other light is not needed, the black wire is power and the grey wires are ground and hook into the same power and ground if you use the control. this will look much better if you just rewire it with 1 red and joining all the contacks where the grey wires went with 1 black wire.
7: Power for the LED stripes are wired into the light circuit that dims the compass at night when you turn on your headlights (orange/black wire if looking at the car side of the plug for reference). This power varies with the instrument dimmer switch (0 - 11.5 VDC) so your LED's will vary too.
8: Ground comes from the map lights. All wires were soldered and sealed with liquid electric tape. Also use tape to mask all the holes that are in the map light sockets. If you dont there will be a green glow comming out of them. First time you turn them on you'll see what else needs to be masked off.
9: Finished product. Nothing looks different till it gets dark and you can actually see where the h*** those buttoms have been hiding from you!
I hope this helps anyone else with this small but very good mod.
Another way to do this project is to put the lights in from the sides. Use 1 led strip and cut it in half. One half you'll need a 350-450 ohm resistor to complete the circuit and the other peice just needs wires soildered to all the new ends you just made. Assemble the same way just polish the sides and not the bottom. What you do with the rest of the lights is up to you.